The Japanese government is currently considering (i) several
amendments to the large shareholding reporting requirement, which
is generally triggered when the position of a beneficial owner
reaches 5% of outstanding shares, and (ii) a new mechanism to
provide transparency around beneficial owners even when the 5%
threshold is not reached. Notably, the stated purposes of these
considerations include promoting engagement between companies and
investors by removing obstacles for investors to effectively engage
with companies and by making it easier for companies to identify
beneficial owners.
More specifically, the following items are currently considered
at the Financial Council, a government advisory body which makes
policy recommendations: